


46-52-424

by Guardian_of_the_4th_Wall



Category: Soul Eater
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-07-15 13:52:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7224973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian_of_the_4th_Wall/pseuds/Guardian_of_the_4th_Wall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kid, Maka, Black Star and their weapons defeated the Keishin only to find themselves facing a new threat. Death is missing, Eibon now runs the Academy, and as the days go on, their teacher's curriculum's get more and more challenging. Seeming to rest on the border of right and horrific. Though the more they question the new head of their Academy, the worse their punishments become.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Return to Abnormalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Academy students defeated the Keishin, Death leaves the school putting Eibon in charge.

"HA! You didn't even scratch me! Your fist wasn't enough after all! You fool! There is no way a weak talentless little human like you could beat me. You didn't stand a chance!"

And suddenly his vision cracked.

"Wh… What is this? You just punched me! Your fist isn't a weapon. It's nothing special!"

"Exactly," Maka answered looking determined. "Bravery is not special. But that means. Everybody has it."

"Everybody huh? Then it's just like madness…"

The Kishin erupted into light which expanded outward from the spot where he stood. Maka had to shield her eyes it was so bright…

Above looking down from the hole in Lord Death's room, the others stood waiting...

"The barrier's gone," Stien said staring down as a large orb of light seemed to be bursting from the barrier.

"They did it!" Sid gasped.

"FOOL!" shouted Excaliber.

* * *

Maka looked down at her hand. That was… too easy…

She wasn't sure why she thought this could work. Yet it had. The Keishin was gone. The souls he had captured were floating around them sparkling. Turning she looked down at the others. They looked exhausted, but they were all smiling.

"We did it," she said smiling as well. "I can't believe we did it!"

"I can't believe he went down with one punch," Black Star frowned throwing his hands behind his head. "Man, how lame is that!"

"It was more of the mind game. Maka broke the Keishin's resolve by rising above his madness and letting him know he could no longer scare her. Fear is what Keishin's feed off of after all," Kid explained.

"But still, I couldn't possibly have made him fear me without you two having weakened him considerably first," Maka explained.

"Thus, confused, angry and fearful himself, his guard was dropped. Even a simple attack from you Black Star would have killed him at that point…" Kid pointed out looking somewhat bored.

"HEY! What is that supposed to mean! You saying I'm weak! I'll take you on right now!"

"Now now, I think everyone has done enough fighting for today."

They looked up to see Stein smiling at them.

"Professor Stein!" Maka exclaimed cheerfully. "We did it. We defeated the Keishin!"

"I saw. You kids did a wonderful job."

"How is my Father doing?" Kid asked, and the smile on Stein's face faltered slightly.

"He's not doing well Kid. I'll be honest," Stein stated flatly.

Kid's hand clenched and his gaze fell. "I'm going to go see him."

He started heading back towards the city only Stein held out his hand. "That's not a good idea kid. He's in pretty bad shape and he needs rest. But don't worry too much. It'll be rough for him for a bit, but after a few days I'm sure he'll be fine. I'll let you know when you can go and see him..."

"I'm his son. I want to see him now."

"Kid, please just trust me," Stein placed a hand on Kid's shoulder. "You can't see him right now. Just wait for a little while."

"…"

"Everyone, you did an amazing job! You deserve to rest. Let's all go back now…"

They all followed Stein back to death City. When they got to the steps of the Academy Maka heard her name.

"MAAAAAAAKKKKKKKAAAAA!" her Father came running out of the building and hugged her. "I'm so glad you're alright! I was worried about you!"

"Weren't you the one saying all along that Maka couldn't be beaten that easily?" Stein asked him smirking.

"Yeah, but… that didn't mean I still wasn't worried," he snapped. Turning back to his daughter his expression softened. "How are you feeling? Are you hurt?"

"Just kind of sore, but other than that I'm alright."

"The kids need to get some rest. You guys should head home and relax for the night." Stein took a cigarette from his jacket and lit it.

"C'mon, where is our congratulations party?" Black Star asked. "We should be celebrating! We won!"

"Let's leave any parties to after we're sure Lord Death will be alright," Stein pointed out.

"Oh that reminds me," Maka said turning to Stein. "How is Crona?"

"He's fine, I'll have him meet you at your place Maka. He's going to be so glad you're alright."

Maka smiled. Everyone was safe and sound… Lord Death was injured but expected to make a full recovery. Everything was alright now…

* * *

"You sure fought well," Blair said smiling as they all sat around a table of food back at Maka's place. "Wish I could have helped."

"Well then why didn't you?" Soul asked frowning.

"Are you kidding? What if I would have broken a nail?"

Black Star was recounting everything they had all just lived through only spinning it in such a way that he was the star.

"Black Star you realize we were all there, we know what happened," Liz said frowning.

"I wasn't there!" Blair snapped. She was wearing her skimpy purple out fit today.

Just then the door opened and Crona walked inside, his expression lit up when he spotted Maka. "You're alive!"

"Crona! You're alright!" Maka jumped over the back of her sofa to hug him.

"And so are you. I was really scared there. But I always had faith. I knew you could do it," he said smiling.

"HEY! Maka wasn't the only star of today's show. In fact, if you sit down I'll tell you what happened!"

"Patty, Liz, we're leaving," Kid said getting to his feet. "I'm not listening to this story again…"

"Kay!"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go to bed. We'll have a lot of work to do tomorrow repairing death City and all," Maka said stretching.

"Me too…"

"Hey wait, don't you guys wanna hear it again?" Black Star asked as they began to leave.

"I do!" Blair cheered!

"I haven't even heard it once," Crona frowned. The two of them sat down to listen to Black Star's account of the heroic tale.

With that Kid left with Patty and Liz, he headed straight towards the Academy.

"I thought we were going home Kid," Liz frowned as she and her sister followed him.

"I want to see my Father before I go home," Kid explained.

"Stein said no one could go see him right now. He needs rest remember?"

Kid frowned, "I don't care. He's my Father. I deserve to see him regardless of the state he's in…"

Liz frowned. "Well, this is probably a Father son thing I'm guessing. Maybe we should go ahead and head back then."

"That's fine," Kid said stopping to look back at them. "You two go home and get some sleep. I'll be back in a little while."

"Kay Kid! See you later!"

Looking back up at the Academy he frowned. It was indeed in a sorry state. He headed straight for the death room. He figured he would check there first. If his Father was well enough to stand then he would surely be there.

When he entered he noticed only one person was in this room, and it was not his Father.

"Eibon!"

Eibon was standing before Death's mirror. He turned upon being addressed. "What a pleasant surprise."

A metal mask, yellow scarf, dark ornate clothing, red panels down his front. He was just how Kid had last seen him. Though he had a strange feeling.

"What are you doing here?" Kid snapped immediately.

"You're being rather rude, child," he stated. "If you must know, your Father was just speaking with me."

"I was told my Father was too ill to even be seen."

"He… was. He is better now. Death has gone away for a while. He has left the Academy and all of its students in my hands…"

"My Father can't go anywhere, he's bound to Death City," Kid snapped.

"When the Keishin was killed the forces binding Death's soul here were broken. He is free for the first time in a very long time. He has decided to explore the world he hasn't seen in over eight hundred years."

"I'm finding it hard to accept that my Father would leave without speaking with me first."

"Relax child, come over here."

Frowning Kid stepped forward and looked at his Father's mirror. Eibon waved his long arm and the scene before him showed his Father observing the damage their last battles had done. "Your Father feels it is his mission to help restore balance to the world, to right the wrongs Asura engraved upon its surface. Now I ask you keep this part a secret, but there is evidence that the Keishin may still be alive."

"What?!" Kid snapped turning to face him.

"We don't think he was destroyed, but rather that… he split. Your father is searching for the pieces before they restore themselves to a full form," Eibon explained. "He has spent so much time looking on from afar as his friends and family fight on his behalf. Now that he is free, this is something he feels he has to do on his own... After so many years of being bound here… Can you really blame him?"

"…"

"Since your Father has left me in charge, I have temporarily commandeered this space, and this mirror. If you need to contact me or your Father, you need only write 46-52-424 on a glass surface."

"Why wouldn't my Father want help?"

"Your Father is free to fight for the first time in a long time, not to mention his students and his son nearly died fighting that Keishin to begin with, a problem that was his from the start. If you had been locked away able to only watch as those you care about fight on our behalf, would you then ask them to endanger their lives to assist you once you were freed?"

"…" Kid frowned.

"Go home and rest up. I will address the students tomorrow to let them know the situation…"

Seeing no point in staying there to argue. Kid turned walking towards the exit. He turned back. Something was right.

"Yes? Did you need something else?"

"..." Kid turned away again. "No."

He left the Death room, feeling worse and more confused then when he went in. How could the Keishin still be alive… If it has indeed split. Then he should be assisting his Father in finding the pieces…

 _Father_ , he thought to himself. _Why are you doing this all on your own. Something is not right_ …

* * *

"Hello students," Eibon called to them the following morning using the same mirror system Death had used to address them before their battle. "Death is currently taking a leave of absence from the Academy. I will serve as the head of this school in his place. To contact me, you need only write the Death Room's number backwards on a glass surface or come to the Death Room itself. I will address any concerns you have at that point."

"Lord Death is gone," Maka gasped looking up at the mirror where Eibon's mask looked back at them. She glanced over at Kid who purposely avoided her gaze.

"Lord Death and I would like to thank you for fighting in the battle to destroy the Keishin. It took all of our student's efforts to defeat this evil. But we must thank in particular those who took on the Keishin in his barrier thus dealing the final blows. Those students being Meister Maka and her Weapon Soul."

Maka felt her face grow red as the students in her class turned to look at her and Soul. Soul simply grinned.

"Meister Black Star and his Weapon Tsubaki."

"Yeah that's right!" Black Star exclaimed putting one leg up on his desk. "I could do it again too!"

"And last but not least, our very own Shinigami and his weapons Liz and Patty."

Liz and Patty waved nervously, but Kid on the other hand gave no sign of having heard himself being addressed. He was in too deep of thought.

"Once again, thank you all…"

With that the mirrors all around the school that had been addressing the students disappeared.

"Well, now that all this Keishin business is over, let us all get back to our studies," Stein said addressing his class with a smile. "We're going to start a new topic today. So we'll begin learning about magic tools..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first Soul Eater Story. I hope it turns out good. Please note, while I am in the process of reading the Manga I have not finished it. So this story is based off the anime and begins where the anime left off.


	2. Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid and the others press on for answers about Lord Death and the magic tools. They eventually decide to trust their teachers. But is that really a smart move?

"Magic tools, but I thought that that sort of stuff was really dangerous," Maka said frowning. She thought she had said this quietly enough that Professor Stein wouldn't hear her. But he looked up at her words.

"It's only dangerous in the wrong hands or when used for the wrong purpose," he explained. "But the sort of magic tools we're going to be making are useful add ons for the weapons you currently have. Meisters, think about your weapons, and those of you who turn into weapons. Think about the type of weapon you can become. What sort of addition could be created to make your forms more affective?"

"For instance, Kid." He wheeled his chair over so he was in front of him. "Liz and Patty both turn into pistols. What sort of attachment or addition would normally help guns?"

"…" Kid pulled his mind away from his worries to think about the question. "A silencer would help in allowing me to shoot without making noise..."

"That's one idea, you're thinking along the right lines…"

"Hhmm…" Maka frowned. _Something to improve my scythe?_

"There aren't many ways a scythe can be improved…" Soul said frowning.

"Maybe we could create a magic tool that allowed for an extra blade," Maka leaned back trying to think.

Meanwhile down the way a bit Black Star was grinning. "Well you can become quite a few different weapons… Looks like we would have to make many magic tools!"

"I guess," Tsubaki said thinking to herself.

Maka looked over at Kid. She couldn't tell if he was working on the project or not for he seemed to simply be sitting quietly in deep thought.

"Can't it be something you use?" Soul suggested.

"The assignment is to make an attachment for our weapons," Maka explained. "We're not supposed to make something for me. But… I just don't understand. This whole situation is strange…"

"Strange how?" Soul asked frowning.

"Well, It's just… Everyone kept saying how dangerous the magic tools were, well… are. Shouldn't we think twice before making one? I mean… Eibon created the first magic tools and they didn't go so well…"

Maka felt a sudden pain on her head, and her hands went up to grab it immediately. "Ow!"

Stein was behind her, he had just hit hurt (none too gently) in the back of the head with the clip board he was holding. "You may call him Lord or Master Eibon," Stein corrected her. "He now holds the position Lord Death held. So show some respect when you address him…"

"Uh… sorry Professor," she said frowning. Kid had looked up at Stein's words and eyed him as Stein went down the steps. He came to a stop when he noticed Kid's glare.

"Is there a problem Kid?"

"No," Kid answered, though he did not stop eyeing him for the rest of the lesson.

* * *

Their homework for that night was to have an idea of what they wanted to make come tomorrow's class. Maka pushed aside her concerns about the magic weapons to focus on their project. She was a straight A student after all, and she wasn't about to let her worries about magic tools override her desire for a good grade. Besides, Lord Death wouldn't have them be learning this if he didn't feel it was necessary, and she doubted Professor Stein would have them learning this if it wasn't something Lord Death approved of.

The thing that she was most confident about, was the fact that even if Lord Death was away. He must still be informing Eibon. Oh, Lord Eibon, about how the school should be run and what the students should be learning.

So… what sort of addition could a scythe use? She started drawing some sketches on her notebook. She thought about maybe adding an additional attachment blade. Then she thought perhaps it would be good to have a spike at the end of it. Slicing with one end. Impaling with the other. That sort of thing. Then she looked down at her pencil. On her pencil was a small grippie that allowed her to hold it easier, and she smiled.

* * *

"That's what you came up with?" Soul said frowning when they arrived for class the next day.

"Yeah, it's a band that will increase my griping power, which will make it so I don't drop you."

"You don't drop me now," Soul frowned. "It's supposed to improve a problem we have. That's not a problem."

"Okay then, what did you come up with?"

"I didn't come up with anything," he admitted blatantly before taking his seat.

"Soul, we were all supposed to come up with ideas," she snapped before taking hers.

"Well I was banking on you picking something good," Soul explained frowning.

"Tsk," Maka looked over at Black Star. "What did you two decide on?"

"We talked about it last night, but we couldn't really decide. Tsubaki can become more than one weapon after all, so finding something that can be used with all of them is hard…"

"We decided to ask Professor Stein what he recommends today in class."

"Aright students, I hope you have all prepared for the lesson today. When I call your name tell me what you've decided on," he said sitting the right way in his chair. That felt odd. Stein usually sat in his chair backwards. "Maka and Soul. What have you decided on?"

"Apparently we're doing some sort of grip cover to make it so Maka won't drop me in battle… Or something like that…"

Maka frowned. Hearing Soul word it like that did make her idea sound a tad ridiculous.

"Perfect," Stein said writing it down. "Black Star and Tsubaki."

"Actually Professor," Tsubaki said frowning. "We had a hard time coming up with something…"

"Yes, I imagine you would," Stein said. "Alright, this is what you two are going to do. Pick one weapon that Tsubaki can become and choose an attachment for that. Until I tell you otherwise, use only that weapon in battle so you can practice using your magic tool. Have your idea by next class."

"Yes Sir," Tsubaki nodded.

"How about you three," Stein said pushing his chair so he was facing Kid and his weapons.

"We decided to do a laser scope. Each of them could have half of a scope's lens and when I hold the pistols close together it will form scope which would allow me to focus on a target that's far off in the distance," Kid answered.

"Wonderful," Stein said. "Well let's all get to work on it then."

"Uh, Professor," Maka said raising her hand quickly.

"Yes?"

"You didn't ask any of the other student's what they decided on."

"Oh, the rest of you can tell me after class," Stein said. "For now you should all draw some sort of model of the tool you choose. Think of the type of material you want it to be made out of. The design as well. Black Star, Tsubaki, keep thinking about which tool you want to use."

The students were all getting to work, and no one seemed upset that Stein hadn't asked them specifically what their designs were. After class Black Start and Tsubaki had decided on Masamune for the form in which they would make a magic tool for. They let Stein know after class. Kid, Maka, and the others waited with them.

"Alright," he said. "From now until I tell you. I don't want you using any other form but that. It is incredibly important that the only weapon you turn into is the form that your magic tool can assist with. If you use another form from now until the end of the semester, I'll fail you. Are we understood?"

"Yes," Tsubaki said nodding. "But why?"

"The magic tools you'll be creating will be constantly working at increasing your overall powers. Speed, accuracy, strength. It will increase all of these. If you remove it even once it will ruin the entire project. Removing it before it has fully increased your strength can also result in physical side effects."

"Us too?" Patty asked.

"Yes," Stein answered leaning against the desk behind him. "When you're not in your weapon forms, the magic tool will be something you can wear on your person. A necklace, a bracelet, something along those lines. You cannot remove it even once, until I tell you it's safe to do so."

"Uh…" Maka was frowning. "Exactly what sort of things could happen if the magic tool is removed early?"

"You will become ill, possibly mad. Worst case scenario. It can kill you," Stein explained looking quite serious. "But the end result is worth it. You'll be far stronger than you previously were. Their won't be a witch, warlock, or Keishin alive that could take your weapons on in a battle."

"You hear that!" Black Star said turning excitedly to Tsubaki. "I'm going to make you into the strongest Death Scythe ever!"

"I like the sound of that," Soul said grinning.

Maka looked down. She had a bad feeling about this.

"If that's the case, I'm opting out of this lesson," Kid said. "So you can just go ahead and count us out. Liz, Patty. We're leaving."

He started to walk towards the door when Stein called him back. "Oh Kid."

Kid turned back to him, his hands in his pockets.

"Your Father is particularly concerned that you improve your weapons with magic tools as well. You are our next Reaper after all. You need weapons that are as powerful as you can possibly make them," he explained.

"Well, I'll tell you what. When my Father comes and tells me that directly to my face. Then I'll participate in the lesson. Not before." With that Kid turned and left the classroom.

Stein frowned, looking rather upset.

"What's Kid's problem?" Black Star asked frowning.

"I… I agree with Kid," Maka said frowning. "Soul, if it's true and you could die. Then I don't think we should participate."

"Fine, you chumps can do a kiddie assignment then. Meanwhile, my Tsubaki can handle it."

Maka's frowned deepened. "Black Star if you cared about your weapon you wouldn't let her risk her life like that!"

"I have faith in _my_ weapon!" Black Star snapped suddenly looking really upset. "I'll die before I let anything bad happen to Tsubaki, and that means no matter what she's going to be fine! So I don't have a reason to worry, because when I say I'm going to succeed, then I'm going to succeed!"

"Black Star…"

"Either you don't have faith that Soul can handle it. Or you don't think that you can. Either way, you're holding Soul back from achieving something great!" he turned to Stein looking annoyed. "We'll have our design ready by next class."

"Glad to hear it," Stein answered. Both he, Maka and Soul watched Black Star and Tsubaki storm out. When they were officially gone Stein turned back to the other two.

"Lord Death was particularly interested in the student who fought the Keishin using these tools. It was one of his last orders before he left. Maka… Lord Death has made this an assignment and placed me in charge of seeing that you kids can use and handle these tools correctly. He feels that the power from it may be necessary in the near future. I'll be here to monitor everything you kids are undergoing. I can't tell you the whole story right now Maka. But there is a reason why Lord Death left this school, and there is a reason why he wants you to undergo this ordeal. While it is a class project and he is having the other students undergo this as well, he doesn't really see anyone else succeeding in this except you three and your weapons."

He gathered up his stuff and headed to the door stopping just as he reached it to add one final note. "I wouldn't be a good teacher if I didn't let you know all the risks involved. Death is a possibility, but if you do everything I tell you and are cautious. Then you should be in no more or less danger than you are on any other mission…"

With that he left. Maka turned to Soul frowning.

"I'm gonna do it," Soul stated simply without really looking at her.

Slowly her frown turned into a grin. "Alright then. Let's do it."

* * *

"Kid, it's not a big deal. We've done dangerous stuff before…" Liz pointed out.

"Yea!" Patty agreed.

"How dangerous the situation is, isn't the point," Kid snapped. "The point is that they're not letting me talk to my Father and I want to know why."

"Uh, not to be Captian Obvious here, but I believe you have ways to contact your Father without going through them?"

"I've tried…" Kid explained bluntly. A slight tone of disappointment echoing in his words.

Both Patty and Liz stared in Kid's direction at that.

"The means I have to contact my Father is a direct connection between him and me. He didn't answer when I called. That means one of two things. Either my Father no longer exists or he ignored me…"

"Oh c'mon Kid. I'm sure it's not that serious," Liz said running to be in front of him. "Look, if your Father didn't answer, then I'm sure he had a very good reason."

"Yea! Like maybe he's fighting the pieces of that Keishin like you told us. Or maybe he got captured by it and is trapped and needs us to save him!" Patty exclaimed happily.

"No Patty," Liz said sighing. "Lord Death is fine."

"Didn't you tell us that while Eibon is in charge you need only write the Death call number backwards?" Patty asked.

"Hey that's right, you told us that Eibon said if you needed to talk to him or your Father that that was all you had to do right?" Liz pointed out.

"He's not going to let me talk to him that easily Liz. He only said that so I wouldn't be suspicious…"

"Well it can't hurt to try anyway right?" she walked into a disserted classroom and headed over to the mirror breathing upon it. "Let's see… Deaths call number backwards is… 46-52-424"

She wrote the numbers as she said them. A ripple and a light shown bright and then Eibon was visible in the window.

"Hello Eibon," Liz said smiling. "Um… listen. Kid would really feel much better if he could talk to his Father. His means of communication isn't working and well… it would just—"

"Of course."

Kid's expression shot up at that and he rushed forward to the window.

"As Lord Death's child you have the right to contact him whenever you please. However, your Father is currently in a rather dangerous location. Making a call to him now could compromise his safety. I was informed not to call him unless it was a life or death emergency. However, he said he would contact me once a week to hear updates on his students and also give me feedback on how his own mission is going. His first call is scheduled for tomorrow. If you report to the Death room after class, I will let you speak with him."

"Why the change?" Kid asked frowning.

"Change?"

"You were acting like you weren't going to let me speak to him no matter what the other day. Now suddenly, my Father is planning to call in once a week?"

"Kid, your Father's mission is top secret. Letting too many people know means that information could fall into the wrong hands. Your Father could be in serious danger if someone like a witch were to learn that he was out and about, no longer attached to the City he was once trapped in. Your Father will explain everything tomorrow, however keep in mind his calls home must be short. I'll see you then."

With that Eibon disappeared.

"Well, problem solved," Liz said. "See Kid. If you just think rationally and talk out your problems with others, then solutions can be reached."

"…"

* * *

The idea that Lord Death was counting on them to accomplish this task made Maka want to work and try harder at it. She and Soul came up with the exact size and dimensions needed for their tool. Black Star and Tsubaki had decided on a fancy looking Pommel, but something heavy that would give the sword more weight. Kid didn't bring in a design even though he already had in mind what he wanted to do. He was indeed being true to his word. Until he spoke with his Father, he was not going to participate in the lesson.

So the moment the class was done. Kid, Liz, and Patty made their way to the death room.

When he walked in Eibon was already speaking with his Father in the mirror. He turned and stepped back upon his entering. There he was!

Kid rushed forward. "Father! You're alright…"

Indeed his Father did look much better than he had when Kid had last seen him, before the Keishin fight.

"Yes I'm fine," Death said though he was speaking in a quiet tone. "Eibon told me you were giving him and your teachers a hard time."

"Did he now?" Kid said eyeing Eibon.

"Kid, I don't have much time," Death said his hushed whisper getting faster. "I have been instructing Eibon in the running of this school, he has all my orders. Try not to cause much trouble in my absence and listen to him."

"Father, where are you?" Kid demanded.

"I can't tell you that right now Kid," he answered.

"Whatever you're doing I can assist you. Just tell me where to go and I—"

"NO!" Death snapped.

Kid stared at him, his voice had suddenly gotten scary, like how his voice use to be before he founded the academy. When he next spoke, Death's voice was bouncy and silly once again, though it was still whispering. "The most important thing now is that you increase the power of your weapons by using the Magic Tools that Stein and Eibon will teach you how to make."

"Why?"

Death sighed. "Kid I really can't talk this long… Please just trust me. You must learn this. You, Maka, Black Star and your weapons are the ones with the greatest likelihood for success. Please just trust me."

"Father you're not making sense. Why do you need us to learn this so much? And don't say because it'll increase the power of our weapons. I get that much. I want to know why you need our weapons to be that strong this quickly? What threat are you expecting? Why is all this so important?"

Death glanced behind him as though he heard something. "I got to go Kid." With that the mirror shone bright and returned to being a simple mirror. Kid was staring at his reflection. Eibon just over his shoulder. He walked up behind Kid placing a hand on his shoulder. His fingers were unusually long and sharp as blades which cut slightly into his shoulder.

"There… now you've seen him," Eibon said. "So just be a good Reaper and obey us now. Your Father and I have your best interest at heart…"


	3. No sign of the Children...

"Damn him..." Kid said frowning looking into the mirror in his bedroom back at his families manor. He held a razor blade in one hand and was looking at his bare shoulder in the other. He had removed his shirt so as to be sure not to make a mistake.

"Whoa Kid!" Liz snapped as she walked by his open bedroom door.

"Please do not shout," Kid said frowning. "You might make me jump and I'd hate to mess this up."

"Mess what up! Cutting open your arm!?"

"When Eibon put his hand on my shoulder, those sharp things he's using for fingers cut into me. I can't have cuts on one arm without cuts on the other. I must make them symmetrical."

"Why not just wait for the one's you have to heal..."

"Nonsense, that could take awhile. I need to be symmetrical now..."

"Alright just stop," she snapped marching over and grabbing the blade from him. "I get your OCD bullshit. I really do. But cutting yourself is where I draw the line! It's over kid. You're getting over this today! This ridiculous fear slash desire of yours is stupid and irrational!"

"Liz," Kid said calmly. "You're afraid of ghosts right?"

"Yeah so what?"

"Why are you afraid of ghosts?" he asked.

"Who wouldn't be! They're creepy and spooky and they try to eat you."

"All the monsters we fight are creepy and spooky and many of them try to eat you, but you're not as scared of them. Wouldn't some say your fears are stupid and irrational?"

"Uh... I guess, but my fear is normal."

"And just what makes your fear normal and mine absurd?"

"Well..." Liz frowned trying to think of a good way to put it. "Fear is a response to something that could harm you. It's a way for your brain to protect you by triggering a flight response. Mine is normal because ghosts CAN hurt you. Asymmetry can't."

"Regardless, I find your fear of ghosts rather silly, yet I have never once told you that your fears are stupid and irrational? Why? Because as you said, fear is a method for beings to protect themselves, it makes you feel safer to be afraid. So I let you be afraid, with the knowledge that I would never force you to be around something you were afraid of..."

"You made me get on that ghost ship," she answered frowning.

"That was different, that was a job," Kid said holding out his hand waiting for the blade to be returned to it. "I didn't tell you to get on that ship. What I did do was stand by you, reassuring you that I and your sister were near so that even if you were scared you would have the courage to face what was coming. Besides, I knew full well that I could protect you two from anything on that ship. Remember the abandoned city. I didn't take you in there because I didn't know what we were facing, so your safety was not assured, thus I didn't bring you. I would never let anything happen to either of you. So their is no need to be scared of ghosts or any other such creature so long as I am with you..."

She frowned.

"Do you remember when we were in the pyramid you and Patty assured I got through the parts both with symmetry and without. You two helped me to complete our mission even when I was sickened by the asymmetrical sights. We get each other through difficult jobs. That is why the three of us make such a good team. But outside of our jobs it's not necessary to make you confront ghosts or for me to get by asymmetrical sights. I would not do that to you, so I would like you to extend the same courtesy to me..."

Liz frowned handing the blade back to him. "You know, if I recall you called me an idiot on that little ghost ship adventure..."

"Well it's not my fault you fell through a hole in the floor, you have to stay with the group Liz. I can only do so much when you stray away," Kid pointed out. "You could help by holding a mirror on my other shoulder so I better know what angle these need to be at..."

"Ugh, fine..." she said grabbing a hand mirror from his dresser drawer.

She watched as kid eyed it trying to determine exactly where to cut his skin.

"You compared my fear of ghost to your symmetry thing..."

"Yes so?"

"Well, I never really thought of your symmetry thing as a fear but more of a... well... a disorder or a compulsion... So are you actually afraid of things being unsymmetrical or does it just make you really anxious?"

"Well, I'm a bit confused on that myself," he explained as he meticulously made the first cut on his arm. "I've never been afraid of anything else so I'm not entirely sure if it's a phobia or not. But I like to think of it this way. It's a natural human response. Symmetry is beautiful, a lack of alignment is ugly. All humans believe this at their core. Look at anyone who has ever been deemed beautiful. Their facial features are always more symmetrical than the average persons. People deemed ugly are so because their features are so asymmetrical that it is not longer pleasing to the eye. I like to think of my understanding of this idea as being heightened and stronger than most. However when the balance is off I guess I would call it terrifying."

"Have you always been like this? I mean... I'm afraid of ghost because of the fact that they're freakin' ghosts... So, why are you afraid of a lack of symmetry?"

"I can't remember a time when I wasn't, I do know that I've become better with it than I used to be because of you and Patty."

"Really?" she asked smiling. The idea that she was helping Kid in anyway made her happy.

"Yes of course, it doesn't bother me quite as bad as it does when I'm alone," he said.

"I'm glad," Liz said a genuine smile on her face. "But I guess I was kind of hoping their had been an event that triggered it. Something that maybe we could use to find a way to get you over it."

"Well," Kid said looking back into the mirror she was holding after he finished the second cut. "I don't remember it, but my Father said their had once been a time when I didn't care about symmetry. Though when I was quite young my Father had brought me to the edge of Death City to play somewhere. Well, I had wandered too far out for him to protect me, and it was there I ran into a Keishin..."

He started the final cut. "I only just managed to make it back within' the City limits, where my Father could protect me. The Keishin that confronted me, it was all about destroying balance and creating asymmetry. Father once told me that it created a hell inside my head. It had altered the reality that I knew to be true and created a new truth or golden rule (for lack of a better term). When the world didn't follow what I thought it should it terrified me. I have sought out balance ever since. Unfortunately, I really don't remember meeting the Keishin or much before it. I woke up in the hospital days after the event with this new understanding of how the world was supposed to be. It was implanted in my head. I feel a sense of dread when things aren't symmetrical, as though something bad will occur if I can't put it right, maybe I fear that Keishin returning if I can't fix it. I don't know..."

"Oh..." Liz frowned. "Gosh I didn't realize that..."

"It's alright," Kid said grabbing a cloth he cleaned off the blade. "Well... I guess we should get to work on that magic tool huh..."

"I'll go get Patty."

With that she hurried from the room and Kid cleaned the blood trickling from his shoulder with the cloth before he put on his shirt once again.

* * *

Soul's magic tool was a wrist band, which in weapon form became a band around his handle which Maka could use as a gripper. Liz and Patty had matching rings, when transformed they formed a sight for Kid to look through in order to improve his aim. Not that his aim really needed work, but it was the best he could think of. Tsubaki's Pommel was rather cute necklace that she could wear in in her human form.

Stein told them and the other students in the class to turn in their items for he would need to inspect them that night. So all their items were placed in a box before they left.

"Alright!" Black Star cheered as he and the others walked down the hall on their way home. "Just imagine how much stronger my Tsubaki is going to get! You're going to be the most powerful Death Scythe ever!"

She smiled at him.

"Do you think our powers will just increase, or do you think we'll get new techniques?" Soul asked imagining some really cool ability like shooting fire from his blade.

"Maybe both!" Patty cheered.

Kid and Maka were walking a few paces behind everyone else.

"You're uneasy about this too aren't you?" Maka asked softly so the others couldn't here.

"My Father wants us to use this..." Kid said frowning. "I really don't think he would force us to use techniques that could potentially be fatal if their he didn't see an absolute need for it, so I'm choosing to trust him."

"Man, what could be so serious I wonder?" Maka sighed.

That's right, she didn't know. That the Keishin might still be alive and that that was the reason his Father had left...

He clenched his fists in his pocket. If he told them, he knew they (like him) would want to hurry and help his Father. But his Father wanted them to learn to use these magic tools. Why couldn't his Father just tell him what was going on? Why these tools were so necessary... Perhaps the pieces of the Keishin were somehow going to be stronger when they reformed. If they reformed. But... how could that be? He paused. Maybe, one or more of the pieces were going to have a magic tool assisting it's strength, and in order to combat it they were going to need power boosts from a magic tool as well.

But that still didn't make sense, because his Father had more than enough scythes who could wield magic tools. Why ask students? Did his Father have that much faith in the other students at this academy after seeing them fight? Kid himself certainly had more faith in their abilities after their last battle together, but... were he in his Father's shoes right now, he would have asked one of his fully trained scythes to handle such a burden. Or was their perhaps a reason behind the tools needing to be handled by children. Perhaps the weapons were meant to grow into the tools themselves and...

"KID!" Liz called and he looked up. He had stopped walking in the middle of the hallway and the others were a ways ahead. "I called your name three times. What are you daydreaming about?"

"Sorry," Kid said hurrying forward so he could catch up. It was useless, without the full picture...

He just couldn't hope to understand what his Father and Eibon had planned.

* * *

"HA! You didn't even scratch me! Your fist wasn't enough after all! You fool! There is no way a weak talentless little human like you could beat me. You didn't stand a chance!"

And suddenly his vision cracked.

"Wh… What is this? You just punched me! Your fist isn't a weapon. It's nothing special!"

"Exactly," Maka answered looking determined. "Bravery is not special. But that means. Everybody has it."

"Everybody huh? Then it's just like madness…"

The Kishin erupted into light which expanded outward from the spot where he stood. Maka had to shield her eyes it was so bright…

Above looking down from the hole in Lord Death's room, the others stood waiting...

"The barrier's gone," Stien said staring down as a large orb of light seemed to be bursting from the barrier.

"They did it!" Sid gasped.

"FOOL!" shouted Excaliber. "Look closer…"

When the light was gone, they could see only the stone ground. No Keishin was in sight, but... neither were the children.

"Oh my…" Death sighed staring down.

"Maka…" Spirt sighed. "MAKA!"

He jumped falling down to the surface where the barrier had been. He landed on the stone floor. Rushing around he searched everywhere for one sign. Anything that might tell him his little girl was alive. But their was nothing…

"Maka isn't here…" Crona and Stein had followed Spirit down and were helping him search.

"There isn't a single sign of any of the students who were fighting down here…" Stein said frowning. He was hoping to maybe find one of the weapons still in their inanimate forms laying around somewhere.

"Oh no… they died. I don't think I can handle that…" Crona said tearfully.

"Their would be remains if they were dead," Stein stated simply. "But… who knows what happened…"

"Maka…" Spirit gasped. Trying to hold back his tears.

"Any sign of the students?" Death asked calling down to them.

Stein looked up at him and simply shook his head…

"Oh dear..." Death sighed...

"What are we supposed to do Lord Death?" Sid asked.

"I don't know..." Death admitted solemnly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy. :D


End file.
